Warming Amplification of Minimum and Maximum Temperatures over High-Elevation Regions across the Globe

An analysis of the annual mean temperature (T(MEAN)) (1961–2010) has revealed that warming amplification (altitudinal amplification and regional amplification) is a common feature of major high-elevation regions across the globe against the background of global warming since the mid-20th century. In this study, the authors further examine whether this holds for annual mean minimum temperature (T(MIN)) and annual mean maximum temperature (T(MAX)) (1961–2010) on a global scale. The extraction method of warming component of altitude, and the paired region comparison method were used in this study. Results show that a significant altitudinal amplification trend in T(MIN) (T(MAX)) is detected in all (four) of the six high-elevation regions tested, and the average magnitude of altitudinal amplification trend for T(MIN) (T(MAX)) [0.306±0.086 °C km(-1)(0.154±0.213 °C km(-1))] is substantially larger (smaller) than T(MEAN) (0.230±0.073 °C km(-1)) during the period 1961–2010. For the five paired high- and low-elevation regions available, regional amplification is detected in the four high-elevation regions for T(MIN) and T(MAX) (respectively or as a whole). Qualitatively, highly (largely) consistent results are observed for T(MIN) (T(MAX)) compared with those for T(MEAN).